Tlaloc blew the snake into the air, to a point where he was higher than the birds. The west is represented by Quetzalcoatl who is also the White Tezcatlipoca and the god of light, justice, mercy, and wind. Although early images had shown a serpent, by the classical period of Aztec culture Quetzalcoatl was more often shown with a human body. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. The city was known as the center of Quetzalcoatls worship. Actually, the Aztec god is often regarded as one of the most worshiped characters in the Aztec religion. These sources further claimed that it was because of this superstition that Moctezuma II invited Cortes as a guest and didnt harm him or his soldiers. A wide range of maize crops are still eaten to this date, both by the Mexicans that have adopted many of the European habits, and the remaining Indigenous peoples of central Mexico. Quetzalcoatl became linked with the maize crop thanks to ancient legends. Quetzalcoatl is the creator of all people and the giver of wisdom, corn, and the calendar. There was one way that would certainly work, namely by letting it rain so abundantly that the snake simply drifted out of the cave. Some Mormons believe that Quetzalcoatl, who was associated with the east, (which in turn was represented by the color white to the Aztecs), was white-skinned. In Mesoamerican history, many different ethnopolitical groups worshiped a feathered-serpent deity. Over the West presides the White Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, the god of light, justice, mercy and wind. Quetzalcoatl is closely associated with the myth of the four cardinal directions. As a god, its only logical that such reincarnations would be for the betterment of the earth and its people. However, this legend likely has a foundation in events that took place immediately prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. Auh yn jquac molhuja eheca, mjtoa: teuhtli quaqualaca, ycoioca, tetecujca, tlatlaiooa, tlatlapitza, tlatlatzinj, motlatlaueltia. How should one worship the sun? Evidence of such worship comes from the iconography of different Mesoamerican cultures, in which serpent motifs occur frequently. On the other hand, the snake was considered a vital instrument to help bring visions from the underworld to the Mayan kings. There is no surviving account of this myth in native sources, however. In fact, the people of Mexico had killed several Spaniards in battle and had captured and sacrificed others, so they knew they were men, not gods. In their mythology, the world was periodically destroyed and rebuilt by the gods. Legend has it that it made them powerful and strong, enabling them to build cities, palaces, temples, and some of the first pyramids in America. Did the Incas worship Quetzalcoatl? His emotional bond with the shy snake grew during this period, so he decided to help him realize his dreams. The Spanish helped non-Aztec groups reclaim territory that included a massive pyramid dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. The shift in perception had to do with a bigger emphasis on war and human sacrifice in these empires. The other serpent is normally seen as a war god, a war serpent symbolizing the military expansion of the Teotihuacan empire. [8] In his form as the morning star, Venus, he is also depicted as a harpy eagle. If your web page requires an HTML link, please insert this code: . Quetzalcoatl was many things: (1) a historical personage - a great priest-king and religious reformer who lived in approximately the tenth century A.D. Why is that? We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. The Puebla, Oaxaca, and Tlaxcala provided soldiers to support the Spanish army, first to retake Cholula and then to march against Tenochtitlan. Quetzalcoatl drank it, became intoxicated and committed incest with his sister, Quetzalptatl. Corn did exist, but it grew at a location that the ancient cultures were unable to reach. This made crops grow and brought water for drinking. Whether Quetzalcoatl would return was out of the question. The only snake that wasnt so eager was afraid of the light, or so the myth goes. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. Profile [] Identity []. What a conundrum. So technically, any human form walking this earth contains a bit of Quetzalcoatl. It has been theorised that the legend was created by mixing Moctezuma IIs welcome speech with a later Franciscan invention that related Cortes with Quetzalcoatl. His most prominent manifestation in art, however, is literally that of a serpent with a feathered head.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',139,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-medrectangle-4-0'); There is also rich iconography, sculpture, and mythology associated with Quetzalcoatl among all the major cultures of Mesoamerica not just in history but also in the modern world.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',110,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-banner-1-0'); Quetzalcoatl has been worshiped by all the major Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and the Aztecs. In fact, the then-current king himself, Moteuhzoma II, prophesied the return of Quetzalcoatl as a white-bearded person even if it would mean that hed have to give up his place on the throne. Over the South presides the Blue Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli, the god of war. Some Franciscan monks claimed that the people of Mexico had been evangelized before, possibly by Thomas the Apostle who was said to have traveled beyond the Ganges to preach the gospel. [25] Quetzalcoatl was often considered the god of the morning star, and his twin brother Xolotl was the evening star (Venus). While drunk, Quetzalcoatl seduced his sister, a celibate priestess. Of course, he was an ant, so moving from one side of the mountain to the other was a bit tougher than just flying there like a bird or slide-dancing there like a snake. In the underworld, Quetzalcoatl went all the way to Mictln; the lowest region of the Aztec underworld. Quetzalcoatl has been worshiped by all the major Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and the Aztecs. The ancient Olmec civilization lasted roughly from 1200 to 400 B.C. And when the wind rose, when the dust rumbled, and it crack and there was a great din, became it became dark and the wind blew in many directions, and it thundered; then it was said: "[Quetzalcoatl] is wrathful. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, and veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout . That is, according to the Aztecs. Xolotl Among the Aztecs, this was Quetzalcoatls twin. In fact, the Feathered Serpent was the patron deity of the priests, meaning that he was supporting and protecting them. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Each age of the world was given a new sun, and the world was on its Fifth Sun, having been destroyed four times previously. Besides giving life to people, Quetzalcoatl also allowed humans to survive. Looking at the iconography and retold myths of Mesoamerica, some historians have theories that Quetzalcoatl came to be associated with culture and urban civilization. Temple of Ehcatl-Quetzalcoatl. Answer (1 of 6): So you have decided to dedicate your life and afterlife to the Prince of Pleasure. In mythology, he is a gentle god who loves peace, and it is said that he bestowed many blessings to the humans. He would submerge himself in a highly flammable substance and set himself on fire, granting himself a place amongst the stars. The legend of Quetzalcoatl is spoofed in the Adult Swim CGI series Xavier: Renegade Angel. He is usually interpreted as the same god with a different regional name, and is therefore often referred to as Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl. Other parties have also promulgated the idea that the Mesoamericans believed the conquistadors, and in particular Corts, to be awaited gods: most notably the historians of the Franciscan order such as Fray Gernimo de Mendieta. By 1200 AD, Quetzalcoatls iconography had become more fixed. Among these Mesoamerican gods, Quetzalcoatl was also one of the oldest. The Toltecs and Nahuas worshiped the god before he was eventually adopted by the Aztecs. It may be that the historical Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl was deified into Quetzalcoatl the god, or he may have assumed the mantle of an already existing divine entity. The Aztec confederacy was opposed by other Nahua groups to the east. They inhabited the top of the Great Pyramid dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. Quetzalcoatl appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Thor: Love and Thunder. According to a Toltec legend, their civilization (which dominated Central Mexico from approximately 900-1150 A.D.) was founded by a great hero, Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl. Indeed, Quetzalcoatl was born. Indeed, it turned out that this was the only viable option since the snake wasnt planning on moving for other reasons. What is often called the Aztec Empire was a confederation of three city-states, established in the 14th and 15th centuries. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. After Topiltzin's exile, Toltec power began to decline. In some traditions, he was considered to be the creator of mankind. Christopher Minster, Ph.D., is a professor at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. The cult even spread down into the Maya lands. [40] However, a majority of Mesoamericanist scholars, such as Matthew Restall (2003, 2018[37]), James Lockhart (1994), Susan D. Gillespie (1989), Camilla Townsend (2003a, 2003b), Louise Burkhart, Michel Graulich and Michael E. Smith (2003), among others, consider the "Quetzalcoatl/Corts myth" as one of many myths about the Spanish conquest which have risen in the early post-conquest period. Remember, he has already been deemed a god. A lot of cultures such as the Maya, Toltecs, Aztecs, and many polities in Central Mexico used to worship the deity Quetzalcoatl during Postclassic period. Quetzelcoatl also appeared on (Season 3) of the Animal Planet mockumentary Lost Tapes in an episode entitled "Q the Serpent God". He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322 (accessed March 2, 2023). Archaeological sites in Mexico City have street addresses, not GPS coordinates, as sites tend to elsewhere. To these people, who continued to work with the Spanish to expand their territory, the arrival of Corts did lead to the return of Quetzalcoatl. The story of the life of the Mexican divinity, Quetzalcoatl, closely resembles that of the Savior; so closely, indeed, that we can come to no other conclusion than that Quetzalcoatl and Christ are the same being. Quetzalcoatl was also linked with Aztec priesthood and one of the two high priests in the famous Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan assumed the title of Quetzalcoatl. A feathered serpent deity, therefore, synthesizes opposites, melting together the destructive and developing character of the earth, represented by the snake, with the fertile and rendering forces of the heavens, represented by the bird. [43] In a 1986 paper for Sunstone, he noted that during the Spanish Conquest, the Native Americans and the Catholic priests who sympathized with them felt pressure to link Native American beliefs with Christianity, thus making the Native Americans seem more human and less savage. He appears in Post-classic tales from the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec cultures. It is said that he is called the god of wind, spirit of rain, the god of culture, and the . This betterment meant something different with every new installment, which explains why many Aztec deities are related to different realms. Quetzalcoatl's opposite was Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile. But also, his role and what he represented changed during every installment of his being.Divine messengers would talk with the god, asking for assistance in reaching the other side of the mountain: the location of the corn. Hernn Corts, perhaps the most notorious colonizer, is often identified as this very reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl. There, they greatly influenced late Mayan culture. Ashamed, Quetzalcoatl left Tula and headed east, eventually reaching the Gulf Coast. Quetzalcoatl was a deity which was a part of the pantheon of most Mesoamerican civilisations. At this particular address, behind the green door, next . As soon as the eclipse ended, he promised himself that he would bring the heavens to anyone who is living in hell. Nor would he be seen as the reincarnation of the Feathered Serpent god.Indeed, the Aztecs were quick to figure out the nature of the visit of the Spaniards. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. Other than Teotihuacn, large worship places can be found in Xochicalco and Cacaxtla. The south is represented by Huitzilopochtli who is the Blue Tezcatlipoca and the god of war. It is also suggested that he was a son of Xochiquetzal and Mixcoatl. Based on the birth story of Quetzalcoatl, it seems safe to assume that the fourth sun was destroyed because of the floods caused by Tlaloc. Mictlantecuhtli was the Aztec god of death and the principle god of the underworld. While other gods had relied on brute force for reaching the other side, Quetzalcoatl relied on intelligence in order to reach the maize. He was worshiped among all the major cultures of the Mesoamerican region through history. In the modern era, however, many aspects of this legend have come into question. The date 9 Wind is known to be associated with fertility, Venus and war among the Maya and frequently occurs in relation to Quetzalcoatl in other Mesoamerican cultures. It was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood. [need quotation to verify] Codex drawings pictured both Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl wearing an ehcaczcatl around the neck. Quetzalcoatl was considered important in the pantheon of Aztec gods. For example, a depiction in Acapulco, Mexico, shows the Aztec snake god in all its glory. [37] This speech, which has been widely referred to, has been a factor in the widespread belief that Moctezuma was addressing Corts as the returning god Quetzalcoatl. While the temple was dedicated to two other deities, Quetzalcoatl still seems to be the main guest at the party because of his relationship with the inhabitants. Much of the idea of Corts being seen as a deity can be traced back to the Florentine Codex written down some 50 years after the conquest. Getting the snake out of the cave had been Tlalocs only objective for months on end. While with all the feathers it might resemble more of a dragon and move a bit away from classic depiction, it is really meant to be Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl wasnt all that happy with it, however. The widespread worship of Quetzalcoatl may have even played a factor in the belief that the natives of Mexico identified him with the Spanish conquistador Hernn Corts. Quetzalcoatl is a form of one of Mesoamericas most wide-spread images. This, too, can be seen in the birth of Quetzalcoatl. Don't fly too close to the sun or sit under her rays unprotected for too long. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. Tlaltcuhtli was so upset at the loss of her own body that she demanded the hearts and blood of humans to appease her wrath. Carrasco's work was revised in 2000, and the new edition provides a valuable overview of the controversy about Cortes and Quetzalcoatl. But even things of an extremely mundane nature like s. And when the wind rose, when the dust rumbled, and it crack and there was a great din, became it became dark and the wind blew in many directions, and it thundered; then it was said: [Quetzalcoatl] is wrathful., -Bernadino de Sahagn, Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain. The story of how the ordinary Quetzalcoatl became one of the heavenly brothers goes as followed. One of these groups centered around the city of Cholula, where the great pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. This is evident in the iconography recovered from these sites. He was a creator deity having contributed essentially to the creation of mankind. Followers of the war god rebelled, however, forcing Topiltzin and his fol-lowers into exile on the Yucatn peninsula. [24] A fourth story narrates that Quetzalcoatl was born from Coatlicue, who already had four hundred children who formed the stars of the Milky Way. Rise early to appreciate the magnificence of her rising, and try to spend some time soaking up her warmth whenever you can. Members of this confederacy from Tlaxcala, Puebla, and Oaxaca provided the Spaniards with the army that first reclaimed the city of Cholula from its pro-Aztec ruling faction, and ultimately defeated the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). He was also associated with the creation of mankind, so he also possibly occupied the role of creator in the Aztec mythology. [41] However, in 1892 one president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, John Taylor, wrote:[42]. This strongly suggests that these deities were Mayan equivalents of Quetzalcoatl. Because the feathered serpent was such a widespread and long-lasting archetype, he was known by many names throughout Mexico and Central America. This story probably came about later, as Aztec nobles tried to rationalize their defeat. Before he left, however, he promised to return. Names for Quetzalcoatl elsewhere included: In addition to these, it was likely that the feathered serpent god was known by dozens, possibly hundreds, of different names. At temples such as the aptly named "Quetzalcoatl temple" in the Ciudadela complex, feathered serpents figure prominently and alternate with a different kind of serpent head. Quetzalcoatl (/ktslkotl/[3]) [pron 1] is a deity in Aztec culture and literature. The legend reports that Quetzalcoatl was a peaceful king and priest of Tollan, but he was deceived by Tezcatlipoca and his followers, who practiced human sacrifice and violence. The two priests came to their position after living an exemplary life, with pure and compassionate hearts. Quetzalcoatl appears in many ancient Mesoamerican codices, sculptures and reliefs. Mexico's flagship airline Aeromxico has a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in a special Quetzalcoatl livery. By adding a bit of his own blood, he allowed a new civilization to emerge. Quetzalcoatl is not a religious symbol in the Latter-day Saint faith, and is not taught as such, nor is it in their doctrine that Quetzalcoatl is Jesus. [22] A third story narrates that Chimalman was hit in the womb by an arrow shot by Mixcoatl and nine months later she gave birth to a child which was called Quetzalcoatl. He drove the winds that brought rain and allowed plants to grow. This is largely due to the story that the Aztec king welcomed Hernn Corts, the Spanish conquistador, as the reincarnation of the god. In Xochicalco, depictions of the feathered serpent accompany the image of a seated, armed ruler and the hieroglyph for the day sign 9 Wind. It allows for a form of food security, and therefore for peace, and as a result, has taken on not only physical and economic importance but spiritual significance as well. How old is the United States of America? The Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines.
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